1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of aircraft and avionics theft prevention, and, in particular, to devices which, when installed on an aircraft, prevent operation of the aircraft, and which impede or preclude removal of avionics from the instrument panel of an aircraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Theft of General Aviation aircraft is rapidly increasing due to their attractiveness in transporting illegal drugs and other contraband. Because the value of the cargo is so high, aircraft are routinely stolen and are then abandoned after one flight.
Theft of aircraft avionics and instruments is also on the rise. Avionics are valuable. Often, particularly for older aircraft, the avionics in the aircraft are more valuable than the aircraft in which the avionics are installed. For example, the avionics in low-end aircraft such as the Cessna 172 can easily cost $30,000 per aircraft.
Avionics are easy to steal. Most aircraft tie-down areas, particularly at non-commercial airports, have no security personnel. Also, because aviation is a hobby for many owners, it is not unusual for people to be working around aircraft or carrying parts in the tie-down area. An experienced thief can readily blend into the normal activities in a tie down area. An aircraft by its very nature is designed to be as light as possible. When a thief has access to the aircraft, defeating the manufacturer's door locks to gain cabin access is relatively easy. In fact, many aircraft are produced without door locks. Typical avionics are mounted in a tray secured by fasteners on the front panel. Thus, once a thief has access to the cabin, the thief can remove the avionics quickly and easily.
Stolen avionics are also easy to sell. Avionics are high priced items in relatively small packages. There is a ready market for the avionics. Avionics are difficult to trace because serial numbers are not visible unless the unit is removed from the rack. It is a common practice for thieves to remove avionics from a first aircraft, install the stolen avionics on a second aircraft without the knowledge of the owner of the second aircraft, and then sell the avionics from the second aircraft on the open market. As far as the owner of the second aircraft is concerned, the original avionics are still in the second aircraft. Thus, the serial numbers of the avionics stolen from the second aircraft are not reported as being stolen so that even a sophisticated purchaser of the avionics from the second aircraft will not identify the avionics as being stolen. Meanwhile, although the serial numbers of the avionics from the first aircraft are listed in reports, the serial numbers remain hidden within the instrument panel of the second aircraft with little or no likelihood that even the owner of the second aircraft will know of the exchange of the avionics.
There have been several previously designed devices for aircraft security. One such device locks onto a wheel of the aircraft landing gear. The device offers protection from aircraft theft, but the device is bulky and is sufficiently heavy to significantly affect aircraft weight and balance when stowed. Furthermore, such devices offer no protection for the avionics. Aftermarket door locks are also available, but such door locks are generally ineffective because the doors and attachment points are necessarily light and easy to bend. Once the door is sprung, the avionics and the aircraft itself are unprotected. The prop lock is another previously designed device. A prop lock consists of a chain that is looped and locked around the propeller hub. A prop lock is easy to defeat with a bolt cutter and offers no avionics protection. A prop lock also presents a potential safety hazard if the aircraft is inadvertently started with the prop lock in place.